Of Insightful Dreams
by damienriddle
Summary: Prequel to Of Cherry Blossoms.


**Of Insightful Dreams**

Prequel to Of Cherry Blossoms.

Disclaimer : Neon Genesis Evangelion belonged to Hideaki Anno and Gainax.

Shinji Ikari, Third Child, destroyer of angels and mankind, one of the remaining two humans alive, flopped down after releasing his hands from Asuka's neck. He gazed at the long expand of barren lands, the red sun, the dead gigantic Rei, and the lonely world. He thought of the once blue skies, of the peaceful shores, and wind gently rustling the branches filled with blossoms. Of the lost world. And wept for the lost beauty.

"Baka. What are you doing?" Asuka asked. "What happened? Where are we?"

"Purgatory." Shinji smiled. "Everyone has gone to heaven, or hell. We are in purgatory, the land between heaven and hell."

Asuka glared. Shinji continued. "Don't you feel oddly calm? Unbalanced. Like in a dream? Asuka, everything is over now. Everything. Humans have ceased to exist. We are all remains of the human race." Tears trickled down Shinji's face. He bore a smile, a strange sad, twisted smile of joy. "I killed them all, Asuka. They're gone. But it's okay. We'll go to them soon. This is just temporary."

"Shinji…." Asuka started.

He interrupted her. "Temporary or not, let's find a shelter, and some food." He hummed a song and walked away.

Asuka nodded. The Third Child was, insane. Crazy. Perhaps it had hurt his brain in the last fight? Nonetheless, he was right. They need shelter and food. She followed his tracks. The pilot of Unit 01 seemed to have wandered into a grocery shop, as tins of canned food lay at his feet. He was playing with a broken hourglass, the kind you buy as a souvenir. It was badly made. He probably picked it up somewhere.

"The hourglass of time is broken, Asuka. Please, leave me. I must mend it. So that time can resume it's flow."

Yes, Asuka was very sure now he was insane. Of all things, must she be stuck with an insane psychopath at the end of the world? Who knows when he will attack her? Asuka hastily grabbed some canned food and can opener and claimed a corner. She warily eyed him.

Shinji continued fiddling with the hourglass, humming a song. Ode to joy. "Ah, music. The greatest achievement of the lilim."

It took Shinji six days to fix the hourglass, barely stopping to wolf down some cold canned food. And on the seventh day, Shinji slept. He had not slept ever since he woke up at the shores. Asuka continued her nervous watch. The Third Child was unpredictable.

When Shinji woke, he beckoned to Asuka. "Come." She went with him. He took the hourglass and went to the shores they first came from.

He threw the hourglass into the sea of LCL. It flew in an arch, catching whatever remains of light, and sparkled briefly. Then, it fell. Shinji looked satisfied. "What of Earth must be returned to Earth." He turned to Asuka.

"We are here because time stopped. It will resume soon." A terrified gaze from Asuka. "We were protected by the Evangelion, so we came here instead of following everyone else. When I came back, for a brief moment, I saw the future. It was not a pretty sight."

"I'm going to turn back time. With the blood and flesh and soul of the God's offspring. " Shinji said. Wary look from Asuka. He chuckled. "Let's just say I have been enlightened. You were right, I was weak. My AT field was always the weakest. I can hear them whispering to me now. Telling me what to do."

"The offspring of God would always be the offspring of God, no matter what. The blood of God still runs deep. Blood cannot lie, Asuka. Think it thorough." Clutching a handful of sand, Shinji looked at Asuka. She was looking at him warily, astonished and gaping. "But I'll save you. I'll save everyone. I promise. You will live, and be happy. So, please, be happy." Cracks begun to run up Shinji's body. Pieces fell off and became sand. And he shattered, completely, like a glass shattering, and each piece that fell, it became the sand.

Somewhere, Shinji woke up and smiled. "What an odd dream." He walked to the balcony. And opened his hand. The winds blew the handful of sands away, and left a trail of tiny glitters in their wake. Everything was clear now. "I know what I should do."

End. Continues to Of Cherry Blossoms.

A/N : Please Review. Thanks.


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